Test Reviews

As with the binoculars, Minox has decided not to do anything cute; in addition to a choice of models you have a choice of three reticles, and that’s about it. They are all of normal size, weight, and configuration, but there are two things about the line that sets it apart.

First, unless you’re already living in a refrigerator carton, they are affordable. The MSRPs are in the medium range, but the real-world prices put them down in low medium.

Second, the optics are sensational. I don’t mean good for the money, I mean sensational. My scope is clearly better than a comparable American scope of slightly higher price, and about equal to an imported scope that costs nearly three times as much.

With improved distribution in Canada, Minox’s ZA5 scopes are sure to find favour with big-game hunters. There are seven scopes in the series, from 1.5-8x32 on up to 6-30x56, and all but one are built on a one-inch tube. The biggest has a 30-mm tube. Eye relief is a comforting four inches or more, and the windage and elevation turrets are resettable to zero. The waterproof ZA5s are available in a choice of five reticle styles, including the increasingly popular German #4. Each scope comes with a protective neoprene cover.

Highlights include the fully multicoated optics and the phase correction coatings on the prisms that do help to produce the very bright and sharp image that is as good as any binocular that I have tested in this class and in my experience you usually have to spend a great deal more money than this to find a brighter binocular.

I also really like the distance scale on the focusing wheel that with that turns your binoculars into a kind of short distance rangefinder. The quality of the metal wheel as well as the focusing ring that locks in place are also just a few of the quality components that all come together to ensure that you feel that you have a quality pair of optics in your hands.

They make ideal general use binoculars that will excel in nature observation and as birdwatching binoculars. They are also great optics for hunting due to their rugged design and neutral coloring. They very tactile armour covering feels great in your hands, are very lightweight in comparison to other high quality full size binoculars and are well balanced.

Considering that these binoculars are available for around $250 £220, I have to agree with Minox and say that they do indeed offer an outstanding price to performance ratio and are in my opinion incredible value for money.

Highlights include their excellent close focusing distance and their very wide field of view (for a 10x binocular). Their fully multicoated optics and the phase correction coatings on the prisms also help to produce a very bright and sharp image that has to one of the best in their class.

Weak points? With all their highlights and at their excellent price point, it is hard to find anything to be very critical of. Sure you can find 10x42 binoculars that are slightly brighter or with slightly less softening of the image on the edge of the view, but in my experience you have to pay much more for it. Because to achieve qualities like this you have to start using things like special reflective coatings on the prisms and extra low dispersion glass, which cost more to manufacture, bringing their price up. Besides if you want it all you should then look at the excellent HG-Line from Minox.

A report printed in the German hunting magazine "Rheinisch-Westfälischer Jäger" in August 2011 came up with the following conclusion:

The MINOX DTC 500 is a powerful and easy to use game camera that delivers excellent results, making it possible to monitor the preserve and to know pretty well what went on over a period of two weeks. The MINOX not only offers a rugged waterproof housing, but also a shorter shutter release delay and a long-range infrared flash.

It is of course important to install the camera at places where animals frequently appear such as salt licks, wallows or feeding places. The image contains important information such as date, precise time, temperature and moon phase, allowing for precise evaluation of the activity within that area of the preserve.

(Click on link above or on "more" to read the full article in German.)